Diet of juvenile Percichthys trucha (Teleostei: Percichthyidae) in Northern Patagonia: the importance of the littoral zone

ELENA, FERNANDO; FERNÁNDEZ, MARIA VALERIA; MACCHI, PATRICIO; MONTES DE OCA, FERNANDA

Iranian Journal of Ichthyology

Iranian Society of Ichthyology

Lugar: Teherán; Año: 2020 vol. 7 p. 78 - 84

The creole perch, Percichthys trucha is endemic to southern South America and is the largest native predator fish in Patagonia. The objective of this work was to identify the food groups of juvenile perch (up to one year old) in its natural environment, the Espejo Chico Lake where is one of the largest national parks in southern South America. We analyzed 98 perch juveniles from Espejo Chico Lake. The specimens caught were measured and weighed, and condition factor (K) was calculated. In the diet analyses nine different groups (orders) were found in the stomach contents: Diplostraca (Family Chydoridae), Cyclopoida, Amphipoda, Diptera, Coleoptera, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Hymenoptera and Odonata. Food items showed no correlation with fish size (